France's president urges US to help 'reinvent multilateralism'

pulse

April 25, 2018 4:31 PM

French President Emmanuel Macron received a warm, three-minute standing ovation from US lawmakers Wednesday before delivering -- in English -- a rare address to Congress, urging America to help "reinvent multilateralism."

Macron shook hands with senators and representatives, and pressed his hand to his heart several times before a speech that touched on the two countries' shared history and international challenges.

"Our two nations are rooted in the same soil, grounded in the ideals of the American and French revolutions," Macron said.

"We have worked together for the universal ideals of liberty, tolerance, and equal rights," he added, hailing Congress as a "sanctuary of democracy."

After multiple meetings with US President Donald Trump and a lavish state dinner on Tuesday at the White House, Macron sought to expand on his world vision -- and convince America not to retreat from the world stage.

"Today, the international community needs to step up our game and build the 21th century world order based on the perennial principle we established together after World War II -- the rule of law," Macron said.

"We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable, and result oriented multilateralism," he said.

"The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You're the ones now who have to help to preserve and reinvent it."

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